Chief of Staff

Location

Hybrid on-site in Austin, TX with up to 20% travel supporting executive engagements, customer meetings, and strategic initiatives.

Clearance Requirement

U.S. Citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance.

About NODA

NODA is a veteran-owned, venture-backed technology company transforming how unmanned systems collaborate in complex, mission-critical environments. We develop next-generation solutions enabling the autonomous orchestration of heterogeneous unmanned systems across air, sea, land, and space with applications in defense, intelligence, and commercial sectors.

About the Role

The Chief of Staff serves as a trusted partner and operational right hand to NODA AI’s CEO and Executive Leadership Team. This role owns the connective tissue that keeps the company aligned, informed, and moving at the pace the mission demands, translating strategic intent into operational execution and ensuring the leadership team focuses on the highest-priority decisions and opportunities. Work spans executive operations, strategic communications, cross-functional program management, board and investor relations support, and special projects, with visibility into every function and accountability to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted partner and strategic advisor to the CEO, providing counsel on business decisions, organizational priorities, and leadership challenges
• Own the CEO’s operating rhythm including calendar management, time prioritization, meeting preparation, and follow-through on commitments and action items
• Lead preparation for board meetings, investor updates, executive offsites, and all-hands communications, including materials development, narrative alignment, and follow-up
• Drive cross-functional strategic initiatives from definition through execution, coordinating across Engineering, Product, BD, Finance, People Operations, and other functions on behalf of the CEO
• Identify and resolve misalignments, blockers, and gaps across the leadership team before they become problems, escalating with clear options and recommendations
• Design and run the company’s operating cadence including leadership syncs, quarterly business reviews, OKR processes, and strategic planning cycles
• Develop and maintain executive-level communications including internal updates, external briefings, board materials, investor communications, and customer-facing presentations
• Partner with the executive team on organizational design, headcount planning, and talent strategy as the company scales
• Build trusted relationships with key external stakeholders including investors, board members, customers, partners, and government officials, representing the CEO when needed
• Lead or support special projects and strategic initiatives that require cross-functional coordination or direct CEO involvement
• Maintain strict confidentiality and discretion across all sensitive business, personnel, and strategic matters

Requirements

• 8+ years of progressive experience in chief of staff, strategy, management consulting, investment banking, business operations, or a directly comparable role supporting senior executive leadership
• Demonstrated experience operating at the executive level, partnering directly with a CEO, President, or C-suite leader in a high-growth or mission-critical environment
• Experience in defense, national security, aerospace, or a regulated technical environment, or demonstrated ability to ramp quickly in a complex domain
• Proven ability to manage cross-functional initiatives, drive decisions, and deliver results without direct authority across a matrixed organization
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, including executive-level presentations, board materials, and external stakeholder communications
• Strong analytical and structured thinking skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information and translate it into clear recommendations and action
• Experience designing and running executive operating cadences including leadership syncs, OKR processes, and strategic planning cycles
• High level of integrity, discretion, and professionalism in handling sensitive business, personnel, and strategic information
• U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Active DoD security clearance, Secret or higher
• Prior military service or significant experience working with military or government organizations
• Experience at a venture-backed startup or high-growth technology company, ideally through a Series A to Series C transition
• Background in management consulting, investment banking, or private equity with exposure to defense, aerospace, or national security sectors
• Experience supporting board of directors meetings, investor relations, and fundraising processes
• Familiarity with federal acquisition, government contracting, or defense procurement environments
• MBA or advanced degree from a leading institution

Skills & Attributes

• Strategic operator who thinks at the executive level and executes at the detail level, bridging the gap between vision and delivery
• Trusted advisor with the judgment and discretion to handle sensitive information and navigate complex stakeholder relationships on behalf of the CEO
• Proactive and anticipatory, identifying what needs to happen before being asked and removing obstacles without needing direction
• Exceptional communicator across all audiences, from engineers to board members, both written and verbal
• Calm and composed under pressure, maintaining clarity and effectiveness when priorities shift rapidly and stakes are high
• Highly organized, managing multiple concurrent initiatives, commitments, and stakeholders without losing track of details or follow-through
• Collaborative partner who builds trust quickly across functions while maintaining appropriate boundaries and confidentiality
• Mission driven, with a genuine commitment to NODA AI’s defense mission and the people who serve it

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with company match
• Equity grants for new hires
• Unlimited PTO and 11 paid holidays
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar, including a holiday hiatus in November and December
• Generous parental leave and military leave for annual training or service requirements
• Professional development opportunities
• Access to One Medical
• Mental health resources including free 24/7 therapy and additional work-life services such as free legal and financial support